Hole in the wall

[SaudisLoveAudis]

Hi Gents,
After removing old skirting boards I discovered a hole in the wall. Not sure if this is some old school ventilation in the bathroom but it's too big to my liking.
On the picture on the left is the outside wall, on the right it's internal wall made of plasterboard.
Should I brick it up?
This is almost a century old house. They had all sorts of tricks back in the days. What I also noticed these wood pieces between the bricks I reckon to cleverly exchange moisture between inside and outside. But this is something I discovered downstairs not in upstairs bathroom.
Thanks

 

[cwhaley]

What I also noticed these wood pieces between the bricks I reckon to cleverly exchange moisture between inside and outside. But this is something I discovered downstairs not in upstairs bathroom.
Thanks

Sounds like they are what we call 'twisted plugs' to me -- little pieces of timber cut down and hammered into the the gaps between bricks (in place of mortar). Their function was to allow the fixing of skirting boards which could be nailed into them. A fixing method used in lots of other applications, too but rarely seen anymore.

 

[SaudisLoveAudis]

Sounds like they are what we call 'twisted plugs' to me -- little pieces of timber cut down and hammered into the the gaps between bricks (in place of mortar). Their function was to allow the fixing of skirting boards which could be nailed into them. A fixing method used in lots of other applications, too but rarely seen anymore.

Great. Thanks for explaining that because I removed one from the wall then I thought it maybe serves a different purpose.

 

[cwhaley]

Obviously can't be sure without a picture, but that's what they sound like. They won't be used to exchange moisture otherwise they'd have rotted decades ago.

 

[Odds]

A half brick, broken stone/tile, cement/plaster.
Sorted.
What's the problem?

 

[SaudisLoveAudis]

Obviously can't be sure without a picture, but that's what they sound like. They won't be used to exchange moisture otherwise they'd have rotted decades ago.

I think you are right because this solution is from previous era when nails were the thing before wall screws

 

[John D v2.0]

Sounds like they are what we call 'twisted plugs' to me -- little pieces of timber cut down and hammered into the the gaps between bricks (in place of mortar). Their function was to allow the fixing of skirting boards which could be nailed into them. A fixing method used in lots of other applications, too but rarely seen anymore.

They are seen any more - they are called rawlplugs!

 

[mattylad]

I still use wood offcuts in the gaps in my walls to fix skirtings to.
Mind you, the house was built in 1855 so the walls are not as easy to use rawlplugs in the stone.

 

[cwhaley]

I still use wood offcuts in the gaps in my walls to fix skirtings to.
Mind you, the house was built in 1855 so the walls are not as easy to use rawlplugs in the stone.

Yeah I wouldn't fancy it! I (re)used them in mine, too -- the blues were a bit tough to drill into and as the plugs were already there I thought I'd mark up and use those.

 

[SaudisLoveAudis]

A half brick, broken stone/tile, cement/plaster.
Sorted.
What's the problem?

ok the hole has been plugged with brick pieces and mortar 1/4 cement/sand.

 

[SaudisLoveAudis]

This is how it looks now.
I have to now plug the other bit. This old house has this wooded something.
How should I fill this? Can I plaster over this wooden thingy?
Do they put this to attach skirting?